Already delayed by three years, residents of Mohali will have to wait longer to get piped natural gas (PNG) as the municipal corporation (MC) has yet to give digging permission to the company that was allotted work in 2016.
The Punjab government had notified the policy for providing PNG connections to households in April 2018. But, the laggard Mohali civic body has not implemented it.
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), in collaboration with Adani group, which has been allotted the work, has already laid the main gas pipeline of 12km on the Airport Road and some parts of Industrial Area, Phases 7 and 8B. But more digging work is required to take the main line to households.
Under the project, the gas pipelines will be positioned underground all over the city, leading to houses just like water, sewage and electricity connections. Meters will measure the usage.
An Adani group representative, not wishing to be named, said the Government of India had allotted the gas pipeline work in 2014. “Two years later, we applied for permission to dig the ground to provide household connections in Mohali. But, we haven’t received approvals from the local civic body.”
He further said their initial plan was to cover Phases 10 and 11, but now they will start with housing societies in Sectors 67, 68 and 70. “If we get permissions in the next 15 days, we will complete the work in these societies by March 2020,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}He further said their initial plan was to cover Phases 10 and 11, but now they will start with housing societies in Sectors 67, 68 and 70. “If we get permissions in the next 15 days, we will complete the work in these societies by March 2020,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}On his part, MC commissioner Kamal Kumar said he was not aware of the matter as he had recently assumed charge of the post, but he will summon the file and expedite the work.
Besides Mohali, the company has laid pipeline of 3km on VIP Road, Zirakpur. There too, the permission to connect the main pipeline with households is awaited from the Zirakpur municipal council for the past six months. In Chandigarh, the company has already covered most of the southern sectors, and will soon start work in Sector 20 and Manimajra.